A HURRICANE rescue mission has been launched to save 1,000 precious monkeys living on a devastated Caribbean island.

The rhesus macaques are some of the best studied apes in the world but their living laboratory took the full brunt of Hurricane Maria’s 150 mph winds.

Scientists who watch the free-roaming troops to research primate social behaviour are organising a relief effort on so-called Monkey Island to help both the apes and their human neighbours.

The Asian macaques first arrived on Cayo Santiago, to use the tropical island’s real name, in 1938 and successive populations have provided visitors from leading academic institutions with a priceless insight into these complex creatures’ social systems.

By being so unfazed by humans, the macaques can be involved in up-close and personal research, allowing researchers unprecedented access into their daily routines and understand how apes think and choose both friends and mates.

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One island inhabited by thousands of monkeys was devastated by hurricane Maria

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'Monkey island' Cayo Santiago was one of the first places to be hit by hurricane Maria

I can’t imagine this unique resource for science and education disappearing

Rachel Sweetman

Remarkably, the irrepressible macaques appear to have escaped the ravages of Maria, with reports of the all separate social groups surviving, yet the research station, along with most of island's vegetation and fresh water supplies destroyed.

For support staff working on Monkey Island as well as communities on nearby Puerto Rico, the force four hurricane has been cataclysmic, with only limited food, water and fuel supplies restored more than a week since it struck.

Academics from the University of Exeter along with colleagues from seven other institutions are now pledging to restore the research station and nearby community.

Cayo Santiago alumni have set up a GoFundMe appeal to support Caribbean Primate Research Centre employees and their families.

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A GoFundMe appeal was set up by alumni of Cayo Santiago for the employees of the reasearch centre

Dr Lauren Brent, lecturer at the University of Exeter’s Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, said today: “Cayo Santiago was one of the first places the storm and its 150mph winds made landfall. Since the island is only 38 hectares, there wouldn’t have been many places for the animals to take refuge.”

Rachel Sweetman, a former masters student at the University of Exeter, added: “Cayo Santiago was the ideal place to do my dissertation research. I can’t imagine this unique resource for science and education disappearing.”

Importantly, while initial checks confirm the different macaque social groups have been accounted for, researchers say there has to be a quick response to save the monkeys for future generations of scientists to study.

Noah Snyder-Mackler, of the University of Washington, explained: “Although the animals miraculously braved the storm, the vegetation on the island has been decimated, and the infrastructure providing life-sustaining fresh water has been destroyed.”